Do I have to work as a CNA first in a nursing home before a hospital?

Question

Hi!
I have just signed up for my CNA's course and am hoping to start working next spring some time. After spending time with family (grandparents and such) in retirement homes, assisted living, and nursing homes, I really have no desire to work in them...however after spending weeks with an ill mother in a hospital, I would like to work in a hospital setting...
Some people have "eluded" to the fact that it's hard to get a hospital job right out of certification...is this the case? Or can I go right to hospitals and apply? Or do I need the nursing home or assisted living experience first?
Please, don't answer if you don't know.
Any CNA's opinions would be great!
Thanks!

Answer 1

I am working my way through the CNA class in my area as we speak. My clinical site is at a promenent Hospital in the chicago area. At least one of the CNA's we are working with also just completed the course I am taking now. SO I would guess that if you do well in class and are a natural at the nursing business you could get a job out of school with out working in a nursing home first.

Answer 2

As was said by the other writer, S*** & P*** are a part of body functions and are regular activities of a CNA who is the grunt of all health care (not meant a derogatory just a fact). A CNA has a very hard job that most do not appreciate them for doing. There is a lot of heavy lifting, foul smells and waste to clean, blood as well sometimes. People in pain that are not friendly and grateful you came to help, fussy families that cannot be pleased... The up side is there are a lot of grateful and wonderful people you will take care of and if you enjoy helping you are doing a good thing. It is a good job, but very hard work and a lot of responsibility and mostly non-stop running thru the day in patient care. If you are looking at the $$ more than anything else--don't go any further and change majors now--nursing is too hard of a job to only think about $$ and too much $$ is spent to get a degree only to find you hate it. Nursing is not the way to make a lot of $$ and now there is no job security even for them in some areas. It is hard work and you better not mind paperwork as that is very important as well. Hospitals has rapid turnaround of patients , Nursing Homes don't as fast. Yes you can go thru all the levels and get a BSN, you can then supervise others and still take patients too. If you get advanced degrees or certificates you can do other non-patient jobs but most will require some years of active patient care 1st. If you enjoy Medicine then consider other non-patient care roles--IT, Medical Records, Lab Tech, Unit Secretary, Lawyer, Educator in a school or in a Hospital, Nursing Home, Home Health or Hospice... I do suggest you start working as a CNA now and find out what it really means to do patient care from the bottom so you don't waste time in school for a degree you may not want and you can change focus early and save $$ and time and effort in the longrun. Know that Nursing does offer many options of changing aspects of a nursing career without major time in re-training as the basic skills transfer to most jobs-- Pediatrics to Obstetrics to Geriatrics to Clinics to Hospitals... you only learn the specialized care for each job, you already know how to care for them in the basic needs. We need caring Nurses and many opportunties are coming to them but you must be dedicated to it or you will be miserable and others will know making it a double tragedy. The BSN is going to be the best way to move out of direct care to other areas as most positions require that degree for consideration of an upper management position. Think carefully on this as it is a major decision

Answer 3

No you can work in either, however depending on where you are located it may be easier to get a nursing home job. True it is alot of work but you get the experience and then you move on. Where I am alot of hospitals are closing, so that means all those CNA s are looking for work so it may be more competitive to get a hospital position straight out of the class. If you can secure an assisted living position I would go for it. I don't think it is as demanding as a nursing home job. Yes...everyone needs help but if you are not a fan of cleaning up alot of incontinent patients and don't feel you can do it , don't do it. It's not fair to you or the patient you are caring for. I speak from experience in the health care field and i I continue to care for clients on a daily basis

Answer 4

No. I worked in a hospital first and I loved it. I'm thinking about going back. I had no problem getting a job there, I was hired before I even finished school. I don't know how it is in your area but we get paid more in nursing homes. I honestly believe that the nursing home work is a lot easier than working in a hospital. Not to say that the work is easy, it more physical back breaking work. The hospital is more busy work, running, paper work charting, getting people to there pt ot and tests on time. But I enjoyed it more.

Answer 5

You can work anywhere you like. Hospitals are always hirings CNA's. Or you could work for a placement agency they pay the best for a CNA. Nursing homes are depressing and gross. :)

Answer 6

It all depends on the hospital where you live. I live in Philly and all the hospitals want 1yr experience in a nursing home as a requirement, but I'm still applying and hopefully I'll get in.

I hope you get one too. Try to volunteer first or get in good with someone that works at the hospital...